Chamber carburetor



Oct. 18, 1966 E. E. PARKER, JR

CHAMBER CARBURETOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D90. 20, 1963 INVENTOR.

E. P418652, we.

EW'LL Arroexvsys.

0a. 18, 1966 E. E. PARKER, JR 3,279,770

CHAMBER CARBURETOR Filed Dec, 20, 1965 2 Sheetsheet 2 FIG. 3.

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United States Patent 3,279,770 CHAMBER CARBURETGR Ewell E. Parker, Jr., 2610 Washington St.. Amarillo, Tex. Filed Dec. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 332,110 3 Claims. (Cl. 261-36) This invention relates to carburetors for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a motor vehicle carburetion system wherein liquid fuel is vaporized and mixed with atmospheric air, the atmospheric air and vaporized fuel mixture being drawn into the intake manifold of the engine without entraining any fuel in liquid form.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved carburetor for an internal combustion engine, the carburetor being adapted to provide a mixture of vaporized liquid fuel and air and to feed the mixture to the intake manifold of the associated internal combustion engine, the carburetor being simple in construction, being easy to install, and being provided with means for returning condensed liquid fuel to the associated fuel supply reservoir.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved motor vehicle carburetion system employing a carburetor of the chamber type which is arranged to mix vaporized liquid fuel with atmospheric air and furnish the mixture to the intake manifold of the associated internal combustion engine, the carburetor being arranged to regulate the induced atmospheric air intake and that air intake to control the amount of vapor that is supplied to the air flow that eventually reaches the manifold as a combustible mixture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved carburetor for an internal combustion engine, the carburetor being inexpensive to fabricate, being durable in construction, being easy to adjust, and being compact in size so that it can be readily installed adjacent to a standard internal combustion engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved carburetor for use with an internal combustion engine, the carburetor involving a minimum number of moving parts, being easy to maintain in operating condition, being provided with means for regulating the cross sectional size of its spray orifice, and being further provided with means for returning condensed or unvaporized liquid fuel to the fuel reservoir associated therewith.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the frame of a motor vehicle provided with a carburetion system according to the present invention and including an improved chamber carburetor according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the fuel supply and carburetion system of FIG- URE 1, showing the chamber carburetor, the fuel pump, and the associated fuel lines, as employed in the system.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view, partly broken away, of the carburetor, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates the chassis of a motor vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine 12, a gasoline tank 13, a fuel pump 14, and a carburetor, generally designated at 16. The internal combustion engine 12 is provided with the intake manifold 17 for supplying the engine with a fuel and gasoline mixture, formed in a manner presently to be described. The fuel pump 14 is driven from the cam shaft of the engine 12 in a conventional manner.

The carburetor 16 comprises an upper chamber segment 18 and a lower chamber segment 19, the segments being provided with respective connecting flanges 20 and 21 and being fastened together by bolts 22 engaged through said flanges, a suitable sealing gasket 23 being interposed between the flanges. The upper chamber segment 18 is formed with an outlet conduit 24 which is provided with a connecting flange 25 at its end, said connecting flange 25 being connected to the connection flange 26 of the intake manifold 17 by a plurality of bolts 27, a sealing gasket 28 being interposed between the flanges 25 and 26, as shown in FIGURE 4. The outlet conduit 24 is provided with a butterfly valve 29 pivoted in the conduit 24 on a shaft 30 having an external operating arm 31 which is connected through a link 32 to the accelerator pedal linkage of the motor vehicle in a conventional manner. Thus, the flow of fuel and air mixture through the conduit 24, under the suction effect of the engine vacuum, is controlled by the butterfly valve 29, which in turn is controlled by the accelerator pedal of the associated motor vehicle.

The upper chamber segment 18 is formed so that diametrically opposite the outlet conduit 24 is an air intake conduit 33 which may be provided with a conventional air cleaning filter 34, as shown in FIGURE 1. The flow of air through the conduit 33 is induced by engine vacuum to a degree determined by the degree of opening of the butterfly valve 29, and as will be presently explained, the rate of air flow from conduit 33 to conduit 24 also affects the amount of vapor that is picked up from the lower portion of the chamber of the carburetor.

The lower chamber segment 19 is formed near its bottom end with a laterally projecting boss 35 in the upper portion of which is formed a bore 36 leading to the interior of the chamber segment 19, and threadedly secured in the inner end of the bore is an inwardly directed spray nozzle member 37. The nozzle 37 has a conical outwardly flaring bore portion 38 which receives the conical tip 39 of a needle valve element 40 threadedly engaged in the boss 35 in axial alignment with the bore 36 and provided with a sealing gland 41. The needle valve element 40 is provided with the external adjusting knob 42, which may be manually rotated to adjust the effective cross sectional area of the orifice of the spray nozzle element 37. The bore 36 communicates with a lateral connection conduit formed on the boss 35, and shown at 44. Connected to the connection conduit 44 is a fuel supply line 45 leading from the outlet of the fuel pump 14. Fuel is supplied to the intake of the fuel pump 14 from the gasoline tank 13 by a fuel line 46.

The lower portion of the boss 35 is formed below the bore 36 and in vertical alignment therewith with a fuel return passage 48 which opens into the bottom portion of the chamber segment 19. The return passage 48 is connected by a fuel return line 49 to the gasoline tank 13, whereby unvaporized or condensed liquid fuel collecting in the lower portion of the carburetor vaporizing chamber is returned to the gasoline tank 13.

In operation, when the engine 12 is running, the fuel pump 14 supplies liquid fuel under pressure to the bore 36 and thence to the spray nozzle 37, the nozzle providing a generally conical spray of finely divided liquid fuel into the interior of the vaporizing chamber 50 defined by the chamber segments 18 and 19. At the same, the suction in the intake manifold 17 induces flow of atmospheric air through the upper portion of the chamber, the rate of flow being in accordance with the degree of opening of the butterfly valve 29. The rate of vapor and spray that is pulled up into the air flow through the top portion of the chamber is determined by the same vacuum pressure that is being controlled by butterfly 29, so that the vacuum pressure of the engine, controlled by butterfly 29, determines the amount of gas vapor and spray that enters the flow of air that the vacuum pressure causes.

This mixture moves into the intake manifold 17 and is utilized in the engine in the conventional manner. The unvaporized liquid fuel or liquid fuel which condenses in the chamber 50 descends to the bottom portion of the chamber by gravity, collecting in said bottom portion and being drained off through passage 418 and return line 49, so that it is returned to the gasoline tank 13.

It will be noted that the amount of vaporized fuel which mixes with the atmospheric air flowing into the top portion of the chamber is regulated by the position of the butterfly valve 29 during the normal operation of the engine 12. The effects of loading on the engine, which would tend to affect the Vacuum in the intake manifold 17, can be compensated. for by suitably adjusting the position of the butterfly valve 29.

It will be noted that the needle valve 40 permits adjustment of the effective orifice of the nozzle member 37 to provide the necessary amount of finely divided liquid fuel in the spray jet 51, in cooperation with the fuel pump 14, driven by the engine 12. Therefore, the needle valve 40 is adjusted in accordance with the liquid fuel pressure provided by the fuel pump 14, to provide sufficient effective nozzle area so that an adequatesupply of finely divided liquid fuel particles will be present in the spray jet 51 to take care of the demand which may be imposed thereon, namely, to take care of the conditions set up through the range of operation of the butterfly valve 29, and in accordance with the range of loading imposed on the internal combustion engine 12. During idling conditions the butterfly valve 29 will be at its minimum position, namely, will be in a position providing only a sufficient amount of mixture flow therepast to maintain the engine 12 in idling operation. It will thus be seen that the system is provided with a considerable range of flexibility and with substantially automatic regulation of the fuel and air mixture so that the engine 12 is furnished with an adequate supply of fuel and air mixture over its entire range of operating conditions. At the same time, only vaporized fuel is fed to the engine, the unvaporized or condensed fuel being separated and returned to the gasoline tank. The air flow through the top portion of the vaporizing chamber draws vapor from the combustible spray 51 produced in the lower portion of the chamber to a degree needed to provide the necessary combustible mixture for the engine.

While a specific embodiment of an improved carburetion system for an internal combustion engine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a liquid fuel tank, a fuel pump, and a carburetor, said carburetor comprising a vertically-extending vaporizing chamber having a horizontal outlet conduit at its top portion connected to the intake manifold of the engine, air admission means at the top portion of the chamber opposite said outlet conduit, said outlet conduit and airadmission means opening directly into the interior of said chamber immediately adjacent the top wall of said chamber, an adjustable throttle valve in said outlet conduit, an inwardly directed substantially horizontal spray nozzle in the intermediate portion of a side wall of the vaporizing chamber, conduit means connecting said fuel tank to said spray nozzle through said fuel pump, whereby to deliver liquid fuel under pressure to said spray nozzle, a manually adjustable needle valve element mounted in the orifice of said spray nozzle to adjust its effective cross sectional area, and substantially horizontal drain conduit means leading from the bottom portion of said vaporizing chamber directly below and parallel to said spray nozzle to said fuel tank for returning unvaporized material to the fuel tank.

2. In a motor vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine, a liquid fuel tank and a fuel pump, a carburetor comprising a vaporizing chamber having a substantially horizontal outlet conduit at its top portion connected to the intake manifold of said engine, a substantially horizontal air admission conduit at the top portion of the chamber opposite said outlet conduit, said conduits opening directly into said vaporizing chamber, an adjustable throttlev-alve in said outlet conduit, said vaporizing chamber having a projection extending laterally from a bottom wall portion thereof, an inwardly directed spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of said projection and having a discharge orifice inside the chamber, conduit means connecting said fuel tank to said spray nozzle through said fuel pump, whereby to deliver liquid fuel under pressure to said spray nozzle, a manually adjustable needle valve element mounted in the orifice of said spray nozzle to adjust its effective cross sectional area, and substantially horizontal drain conduit means adjacent the bottom of the chamber connected to the interior of said chamber through the lower portion of said projection directly below the spray nozzle and leading to said fuel tank for returning unvaporized material to the fuel tank.

3. A carburetor comprising a vaporizing chamber having a horizontal outlet conduit at its top portion adapted to be connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a horizontal air admission conduit at the top portion of the chamber directly opposite said outlet conduit, said conduits opening directly into said vaporizing chamber, an adjustable throttle valve in said outlet conduit, said vaporizing chamber having a projection extending laterally from a bottom Wall portion thereof, an inwardly directed substantially horizontal spray nozzle mounted in the upper portion of said projection and having a discharge orifice inside the chamber, means to connect said spray nozzle to a source of pressurized liquid fuel, a manually adjustable needle valve element mounted in the orifice of said spray nozzle to adjust its effective cross sectional area, and substantially horizontal drain conduit means connected to the interior of said chamber through the lower portion of said projection directly beneath the spray nozzle adjacent the bottom of the chamber for draining unvaporized material from the chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,031,379 2/1936 Mathieu 26 l-36 2,050,567 8/1936 Grifiin et al. 26 I36 FOREIGN PATENTS 808,823 11/1936 France. 1,111,376 11/1954 France.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. T; R. MILES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A LIQUID FUEL TANK, A FUEL PUMP, AND A CARBURETOR, SAID CARBURETOR COMPRISING A VERTICALLY-EXTENDING VAPORIZING CHAMBER HAVING A HORIZONAL OUTLET CONDUIT AT ITS TOP PORTION CONNECTED TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF THE ENGINE, AIR ADMISSION MEANS AT THE TOP PORTION OF THE CHAMBER OPPOSITE SAID OUTLET CONDUIT, SAID OUTLET CONDUIT AND AIRADMISSION MEANS OPENING DIRECTLY INTO THE INTERIOR AND SAID CHAMBER IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE TOP WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, AN ADJUSTABLE THROTTLE VALVE IN SAID CONDUIT, AND INWARLDY DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SPRAY NOZZLE IN THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF A SIDE WALL OF THE VAPORIZING CHAMBER, CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID FUEL TANK TO SAID SPRAY NOZZLE THROUGH SAID FUEL PUMP, WHEREBY TO DELIVER LIQUID FUEL UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID SPRAY NOZZLE, A MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE NEEDLE VALVE ELEMENT MOUNTED IN THE ORIFICE OF SAID SPRAY NOZZLE TO ADJUST ITS EFFECTIVE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA, AND SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL DRAIN CONDUIT MEANS LEADING FROM THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID VAPORIZING CHAMBER DIRECTLY BELOW AND PARALLEL TO SAID SPRAY NOZZLE TO SAID FUEL TANK FOR RETURING UNVAPORIZED MATERIAL TO THE FUEL TANK. 